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My wet shave newbie story

I used to only shave every 1-4 weeks (only trimming my neck line) because I didn't want to shave. It was not fun and often irritated my skin. I asked for and received a Parker Variant open comb razor for Christmas and I have been looking forward to my daily shave ever since. Plus, now I have a bunch of new things to learn about which I always love. So I am happy to be a part of the wet shave community.

I have started evaluating which blade works best for me. I have only tried a couple so far. For my first shaves I made my way through two of the Parker Premium Platinum blades that came with the razor. Now I'm trying Treet classic. I plan to evaluate a bunch of types of blades and then pick my favorite, so I started rating each shave.

I am interested in getting a shave brush but don't have one yet. I told myself and my wife that using a safety razor would be cheaper in the long run so I'm trying hard to get to the break even point before spending more money on my new hobby. :)

I am interested in getting a vintage Gillette safety razor with a butterfly opening, preferably with a black handle, because that's like the one my dad used to have. But I am trying really hard to be patient and put a lot more shaves on my current razor before getting another one.
 
For myself, shaving with a DE, and on occasion a SR, it is a huge savings. However, I am disciplined with my spending. I would, however, recommend having two shave brushes, so they each can dry thoroughly. You can get a good Omega or Semogue shave brushes in boar that will provide great performance. Yes, there are more expensive brushes, but these are less than $20, maybe less than $15, shipped.

As far as vintage razors, keep an eye on the BST (buy, sell, trade) on B&B. People here are honest about their offerings and you will most likely find a quality razor at a fair price. Vintage razors are every bit as good as new ones, though I admit that I really appreciate a modern stainless steel razor.
 
Welcome. In a 4 pack, Gillette Labs cartridges are $6.08 each. I suggest using that as your benchmark in calculating savings. You don't want to torture yourself.

For blades, I reject the conventional wisdom to buy a sample pack assembled by a retailer because blades are subjective anyway. The truth is that your personal experience with the blades is subjective, but many attributes of blade performance and quality are objective. The only DE blades that are actually expensive are the ones you don't actually use.

Try a tuck at a time of some well regarded blades. I would say a proper blade education must include the German Wilkinson Sword Classic, the American Accutec Personna, Feather, and some Procter and Gamble blades. You are better off trying any one of these than you would be trying every blade made in Bangladesh or every blade made in Egypt, which is what is in those cheap samplers people buy.
 
Welcome. In a 4 pack, Gillette Labs cartridges are $6.08 each. I suggest using that as your benchmark in calculating savings. You don't want to torture yourself.

For blades, I reject the conventional wisdom to buy a sample pack assembled by a retailer because blades are subjective anyway. The truth is that your personal experience with the blades is subjective, but many attributes of blade performance and quality are objective. The only DE blades that are actually expensive are the ones you don't actually use.

Try a tuck at a time of some well regarded blades. I would say a proper blade education must include the German Wilkinson Sword Classic, the American Accutec Personna, Feather, and some Procter and Gamble blades. You are better off trying any one of these than you would be trying every blade made in Bangladesh or every blade made in Egypt, which is what is in those cheap samplers people buy.
I disagree. The sample pack I purchased came with some nice blades. I was really happy with the opportunity to "sample" different blades.
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Someone here has an extra black handle Super Speed laying around, so you can probably get one on the BST for a good price. There are several on ebay for less than the cost of four Gillette Labs cartriges, and in the BST you are likely to get an even better value than you will find on ebay.
 
Welcome - and let me offer some additional advice: don't hold back on getting a brush. You can get a decent brush for quite a low price, and it will make all the difference to your shaving experience, helping to prepare your beard for the shave and also helping with building a good lather.
 
With a few exceptions, avoid Amazon and get things from specialty retailers like The Razor Company, Maggards, and Pasteur. TRC has the lowest free shipping threshold.

The issue with Amazon is that it is poorly procured. There are a lot of private label third party vendors selling things that you can get for a fraction of the price, usually from the OEM on Ali Express. Also, prices, especially on cheaper things, are usually uncompetitive because of how Amazon bundles shipping costs.

Amazon is basically set up to overcharge and take advantage of new shavers by confusing them and misrepresenting a bunch of junk. There is some good stuff there, too, but you need to know what you are looking for to come out ahead.

@Ranyart Finn has a good point. You can get an Omega for $5, and a Taqi "deftect" synthetic (not actually defective) for $7.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
I am interested in getting a shave brush but don't have one yet. I told myself and my wife that using a safety razor would be cheaper in the long run so I'm trying hard to get to the break even point before spending more money on my new hobby. :)

I am interested in getting a vintage Gillette safety razor with a butterfly opening, preferably with a black handle, because that's like the one my dad used to have.
Guess what! The B&B Welcome Wagon just pulled in and look what they have.

full


I'll PM you later today to see if you're interested in this '67 Super Speed and older Semogue Excelsior 1470 boar brush.
 
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